Electric contact device



March 4, 1947. A, wAssMER ELECTRIC CONTACT DEVICE Filed Aug. 4, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 4,y 1947. A. wAssMER ELECTRIC CONTACT DEVICE Filed Aug. 4, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NsULAT/ON Ve wi'of, A. Wanssmer AXJ,

Y March 4, 1947. A. WASSMER 2,416,970

ELECTRIC CONTACT DEVICE Filed Aug. 4, 19'45 3 SheeLts-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 4, P1947 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC CONTACT DEVICE Albert Wassmer, Geneva, Switzerland, assigner to the firm Pan A.G., Glarus, Switzerland,'a joint-stock company of Switzerland Applieation August 4, 1943, 'serial No. mists. In Switzerland May 7, 1,942

This invention relates to electrical relay systems particularly for use in the communication art in situations in which contacts belonging to the same circuit are to be connected in parallel or in series and wherein the closing of the circuit is dependent on events occurring in other circuits.

Object of the invention is an electric Contact device comprising at least one set of contacts iniluenced by at least two electromagnetic sys-y tems independent of each other. With this de-V vice the solution of different connecting problems has become much simpler than before, when many contacts were necessary. ForV the same' problem much fewer contacts are needed and in this way the working reliability is increased. Besides this, the expenses for material and erecting are reduced. e

The accompanying drawings illustrate, by Way of example, different embodiments of the object f the invention.

Fig. l is a side view of a contact device with six electromagnetic systems, which, in

Fig. 2, are shown in a plan view.

Fig. 3 is a section along the line III- III in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section alongrthe line vIV--IV Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a side view seen in the direction of' the arrow V in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 represents a schematic illustration of the 1 Ciaim. (o1. 20o-9s) 2 latterl is substantially parallel to the core 2 of the coil and has a head I3 carrying a stop I 4.

The amplitude of the armature rocking movementv can be adjusted by means of a screw I5. The whole armature construction is arranged in such a way thatv the weight .of the armature presses the stop I4 againstV the lupper part of the magnet core 2. If necessary the effect of the armature weight can be `assistedy by .an initial tension in the springs or blades 6 of the s et of contacts.

The blades 6 are longer than the electromagnetic system 2, 4, I 2'.r In this way it is possible to render the contactmaking independent of the place of operation of the blades.

The single magnetic systems of all the illustrated 10 relays are similar andV independent of one another. Each relay has a, core 2 slotted'at the bottom; the two halves 3 are bent along diierent directions in order to form a foot. The cores 2 are fixed to the base plate I by means of screws 9. Each relay has a coilrl overlying a carrier member 5 to which the blades 6 of a set of contacts are fixed, having tongues l projecting below the base plate I. The soldered terminalsof the coil winding are designated by 8, Fig. 1.

A pair of pointed screws Il enter into notches of each core 2. They pass laterallyV through lugs on the lower part of an armature I2, and can be adjusted by lock nuts, to form a pivot support of the armature I2. The body of the The armatures l2 Vcarry. `different plates I6 of insulating material which operate, i. e., open or close the contacts .(iixe'd. to-the blades) v either directly or by means of loops, barsetc. These` plates I6 are .or different shapes. According to the purpose desired, they extend'within reach of diil'erent sets of contacts and at the same time operate several contacts. They may also entrain one another or lock one another mechanically either directlyor indirectly, e. g., by special parts of the platesthemselves. As may be seen in Fig.` 1n the ,platesl 6 may be arranged at different heights without modifying the coil construction,. merely by'xing them above or under the head I3 `of the. armature I 2.

The diierentsets ofcontacts and the plates I6` operatingthem, and ,present in the device shown .in Figs."1 .to 5 are schematically illustratedv in Fig. 6. The plates are designated by IBA- IGF in correspondence.withthe relays A, B, C,r D, E and F of Fig. 2 and, on attraction of the armature, are moved in a direction indicated by arrows.

The `setsv of.. contactsa belong. tothe relay A, the sets ofcontacts b to the-relayrB, etc.

-Asmay be seen in ',Fig. 6,upon excitation of relay A, 'the' plateV IBA closesthe contacts a1 and a3 directly, however, it opens the contact a2 which, by a bar 20is brought within the Asphere of action of the, plate |6A,closes simultaneously the contacts `b1 and bz (the latter by means of a loop 2 I) and, furthermore, by means of a rod I8 carrying the insulating member I9,the plate IBA closes the contact c1 and opens the contact c2; the one blade. of thel latter carrying aloop 22 which reaches within the sphere of action of the insulating member I 9.

On attraction of the armature of the relay B, the plate IBB closes the contacts a1, b1 and bz and opens the contact b3. The plate IBB, however, is without influence upon the contact az.

3 the bar 2D being outside the sphere of action of plate IBB.

On attraction of the armature of the relay C, the plate IBC closes directly the contacts c1 and d1, opens by means of the loop 23 the contact c2 and, with a heel 24, engages the bar 2!! for opening the contact a2. At the same time the plate IGC, by means of the bar 28, moves the blade dz, in this way preparing closing of the Contact 112,161.

The plate IBD has a heel 25 extending within reach of a projection 26 of the plate IBC, so that on operation of the plate IBD all the contacts lying in the sphere of action of the plate IBC are operated. Besides this; by means of the bar 21, the contact da is opened and the contact d4 closed.

The plate 16E acts upon the blade of contact e1 and moves in the direction of the blades 0f the contacts d2. For closing the contacts d2, e1 the attraction of a pair of relays C and E or D and E is, therefore necessary. By means of the heel 29 the relay E- prevents `the armature of relay F from moving when E is excited. If this is not the case, attraction of the armature of relay F causes by means of the bar 30 the open ing ofthe contact f1 and they closing of the lcontact f2.

In this example it has been shown how sets of contacts, e. g., a and b, are influenced directly by diierent electromagnetic relays which are independent of one another (the relays A, B and C).

An indirect operation of a set of contacts takes place when the plate of the relay D acts upon that of the relay C and a locking takes place when relay E is excited, for in this case, excitation of the relay F is without eiect.y In this way, the armature of the relay E influences the contacts belonging to relay F;

Fig. 7 illustrates by way of example a, simple connecting problem which can be solved with the relays H, J, K of Fig. 8 and a single contact.L

Hitherto threev contacts h, i, 7c had, to be closed with these three relays (Fig. 7). In the device according to the invention, however, the insulated plates ISK, IGH and l6J ofthe relays K, I-I and J act uponv the `blades of the single contact l. If the armature of relay K' only isr attracted.

ing the one blade of the contact an initial tension so that it bears against both armatures of two -relays. In this way each separate armature prevents contact making which is only perfor ed when both armatures are attracted.

In the case of change-over contacts con 'derable saving is made by bringing the three bl des of the same under the influence of the armatures of different relays. If, for instance, two pairs of relays are disposed in such a way that their heads are directed towards the middle of the whole arrangement a single set of contacts can be easily iniiuenced by four relays.

There are likewise no diiculties in coupling these four relays with other four relays so that the plates cooperate with the set of contacts in l is closed, and when, after this, the armature of.

relay J is attracted the contact ly is reopened,l since the one initially tensioned blade of the. conl tact follows the movement of; plate lliJ. When relay H is attracted, this blade is; brought. back and the contact Z is again closed. It K; is opened both the excitation of relay H and that of relay J is without effect.

If one wishes to replace two contacts con.- nected in parallel by-'a contact inuenced by two relay armatures, both armatures are caused to act independently of oney another upon the saine contact blade so that both armatures are able to communicate the same movement. Them onV operation of a single armature, the contact is closed.

The series connection of twov contacts can likewise be replacedby a, single contact if one causes each vof the two armatures` tov act upon one blade ofthe same contact in opposite directions so that the electric connection is onlyl perfectv when both armatures are attracted'.

The same result might also be obtained' by giv'- such a way that this single set of contacts can be inuenced by a great number of circuits etc. The same can be attained by mutually coupling or locking the relay armatures in a suitable manner. In Fig. 9 is shown how different kinds of connection can be obtained by a single contact. The arrows indicate the direction of movement of the armature on excitation of the relays. If

, the armatures of both relays are attracted simultaneously, the condition shown will not be changed. This is also the case if the armature of relay M only is attracted. If relay L is excited the contact is closed. contact can be reopened by the relay M without the excitation being removed from relay L. If the circuits of the relays L and M are then interrupted, no change of the contact conditions takes place. The 4same connection possibilities v can be obtained by arranging the relays as shown in Fig. l0.

What I claim is:

An electrical relay system comprising, a plurality of relay magnets each having a movable armature, a set of resilient contact blades associated with each relay magnet, means carried by each relay armature engageable with the blades of the associated se-t to selectivelyA position its blade contacts into any one of a plurality of posi- ;tions, mechanical couplings between adjacent relay armatures whereby energizing of one relay magnet will inuence the contact positions in more than one blade set, and energizing circuits for said magnets, said mechanical couplings including means whereby-movement ofi one armature prevents movement of another armature.Y

ALBERT WASSMER.

REFERENCES CITED- The following references are of record-in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS y Stern Apr. 2O,- l9f4 3 In this state the 

